On wanting to be good
by VenusJay
Summary: A modern AU take on the story of Thor and Loki. Adopted at the age of seven, his social worker Steve helps Loki adjust to his new family. Finally feeling accepted, he is thriving at school, drawing the attention of engineering professor, Tony Stark who sees something in Loki that no one can explain.
1. Chapter 1

He was impressed. He watched him lean so casually against a locker and flirt with the girl from his class and was actually very good at it. He could see the supple gesture of his fingers and the boyish drawl to his words and she was obviously hooked. Loki glanced at him and he gave a congratulatory thumbs up. His brother smirked and Thor could swear the young lady melted a little. It had always been that way with Loki, he was generally quiet but undeniably popular. Thor knew just what Loki's silver tongue was capable of- he could charm and convince anyone of anything. It was magical to watch as children when they had caused unpresidented levels of chaos but when they stood before their father, Loki only had to utter a few regretful phrases and Odin would simply shake his head with a chuckle. Their mother was much less easy to manipulate however.

Gathering his own books, he located Fandral along the corridor as they headed to class. They were having a debate today and it was one of Thor's favourite tasks. Generally he had an easy time winning people over. He had years of tactics borrowed from his younger brother and had no mercy when employing them. Upon arriving, they shifted the tables and chairs in the room so as to create two opposing sides. Most of the girls watched from the sidelines and Thor could only imagine what Jane would say about the lack of feminism in a politics class. The best thing about Fridays was seeing Jane in the evenings. Her parents were quite strict about going out on a school night and Thor wanted to impress them. So he stuck to the restrictive regime they imposed, turning up at Five thirty on the dot and ensuring she returned home at nine. He knew he wanted to marry her so he did not want to mess things up. His days of chasing skirt tail were over. At least he could live vicariously through Loki's exploits. The second best thing about Friday was after leaving Jane home when he and Loki would go to the Park, climb the fence and sit on top of the slide.

Concealing his phone in his pocket, he quickly texted his brother before arranging his notes for the debate.


	2. Chapter 2

The park had an eerie feel to it at this time of night; far beyond the bed times of any children who would play there. Thor had stopped by the nearest shop on his way here, gathering the obligatory late night snacks and upon arriving at their usual spot he found his brother already there. Loki sat cross legged on the little platform of the jungle gym, book in his lap. Thor expected nothing less.

"They didn't have gummy worms," he explained as he clambered onto the platform. Tossing a soft drink to Loki, he opened a beer for himself, chuckling at the disapproving look he received.

"What are you reading now?"

"The Mastered Arts."

"Sounds fun. Have you mastered them yet?"

Loki snorted, setting the book aside in favour of opening his drink. "It's not an instruction manual, Thor."

"I know," he replied with a laugh. "We read it in class a few months back."

Loki raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You've read it?"

"Yes, Loki. I can read you know."

He threw a chocolate pretzel at him before eating one himself. Loki picked it out of his lap and ate it, staring thoughtfully into space.

"It's pretty dark," Thor commented.

"It is?"

"Mm."

"How's Jane?"

Thor had always been wary of how Loki might react when he introduced him to Jane. He never thought of his brother as fragile but his parents always stressed the importance of making Loki feel a part of the family. They worried Thor would become so distracted by a girlfriend that Loki would start acting out. But Thor had been pleasantly surprised when they hit it off, talking at length about theories and experiments.

"Pretty good. Parents are driving her nuts though."

"Good."

Thor looked reproachful at his brother's gleeful tone. Perhaps there was some friction after all.

"Surely it's the first sign of madness to get along with your parents," he teased and Thor visibly relaxed.

"Hmm, you're probably right."

He stooped as he stood on the little platform, reaching to pull himself onto the monkey bars. With ease he did a few pull ups, sticking his tongue out before jumping down to the soft ground. Loki followed him, resting his drink further away from his book as he kicked off from the platform. Thor was impressed by how long Loki stayed up but some quick tickling soon had him on the ground. Gathering up their things, Thor motioned to Loki.

"Come on, thought you had an exam tomorrow?"

"Eugh, it will be easy as pie," he moaned. "Can't we stay a little bit more?"

"We'll be here all night. Plus you know how father is about you staying out."

Rolling his eyes, Loki followed as they headed home.


	3. Chapter 3

Loki hovered in the doorway as Thor chatted to friends online. There was a ping and the name _volstagg_ appeared on screen. Thor was oblivious to his presence with his earphones in, music blasting on full.

How rude. Loki had been practising all morning for his violin exam and evidently Thor was not a fan. He took the opportunity to look around his brother's room. Not that anything was overly interesting but he liked to come up with stories for how Thor acquired everything. Most things he knew but there were a few things that were already pre-existing before his arrival. Once it made him angry to think that there were tatty relics here that held more of a connection to Thor than he did. There was the battered wooden aeroplane carving and the framed painting of a railway station. He'd never liked them. It showcased to him this alien creature that was his brother before they had even met. Loki could barely remember a time when he hadn't been living here and these things were an irksome reminder of something he rather wanted to forget.

He stretched out on the single bed in the corner of the room, helping himself to the bubblegum held in a little candy dispenser. He heard Thor chuckling at something Volstagg had written. Sitting up and waiting for the head rush to pass, he padded back out of the room and went back to practising scales.


	4. Chapter 4

"So Kiddo, how's it going?"

"How is what going," Loki countered. Nothing was more entertaining on a dull Sunday evening than winding Steve up. He was wedged oh so awkwardly on the sofa between his parents with his little padfolio held on his lap and Thor had taken up the little armchair so Loki tried to make himself comfortable on the floor.

"Life," Steve shrugged calmly and gave his trademark serene smile. Nothing ever seemed to bother him which provided an incentive to Loki to keep trying. He noted his mother's light colouring and her stern look that told him he was being rude. Good.

"Same as ever I guess. I go to school, I come home. I go to school again. How is it going for you?"

Steve chuckled a little and nodded.

"Pretty good. I go to work and get to chat to great kids like you so it can't be all that bad."

"Yeah right," Thor laughed. "Loki is probably you're toughest one. He doesn't 'chat'.

"Would you like some more coffee, Steven?"

"No, no but thank you. I'll have to head home now, cat won't feed itself," he brushed a few crumbs from his trousers and attempted to lever himself from the sofa without having to ask for assistance. Loki stood quickly, the tingling in his leg slowing him as he helped Steve up. Odin was already clearing cups into the kitchen as Frigga fussed over coats. Hovering in the doorway, Loki leaned against the cool panelling of the doorframe as his mother showed Steve out.

"Thank you," he heard her whispering conspiratorially. "Anytime. I couldn't borrow Loki for a moment, could I?"

Upon hearing his name he ventured into the hallway, passing his mother and stepping out onto the front step where Steve was waiting.

"How are things?"

"We've already done that bit," Loki smirked as Steve rolled his eyes.

"You get cheekier every time I see you. And I know you don't always, well, you know."

"Tell the truth?"

"Your mother told me you are doing well in school. Are you enjoying it?"

The sound of a horn blaring startled them both and Steve frowned at the silver car that had pulled up. There was a tense moment in which he merely stared at the driver, Loki trying to see through the tinted glass.

"So, school."

"It has it's moments."

He nodded. "You like your friends?"

Loki shrugged.

"Loki, I need you to tell me."

"Why?"

"Because I need to know that you're okay. I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't."

"Pretty terrible job, driving round all the time checking up on moody teenagers."

"There's more to it than that and you know that," he replied sternly but not with unkindness.

"Yeah, I know," Loki replied feeling mollified.

"I want to help keep the bad guys at bay. I can't do that without your help. Deal?"

He held his hand out for a low five and Loki obliged.

"You'll text me if you want to chat, yeah?"

The car horn blared again and Steve actually looked mad as he approached it.

"Text me," he called while he opened the passenger door and disappeared into it. The car swiftly backed out of the driveway and drove away. Loki headed back inside, wiping the grit from his bare feet.


End file.
